Alen Boksic has revealed he will leave Middlesbrough - to end his career at hometown club Hajduk Split.

The Boro striker is 18 months into a three-year contract at the Riverside. And though he claims he is happy to see out the remaining 18 months, Boksic intends to bring the curtain down on his career at the same place it started - a club which he now part-owns, along with fellow Croatian internationals Igor Stimac, Slaven Bilic and Aljosa Asanovic.

"I'm 31 years-old now and for the last decade I've been playing in the best leagues in Europe and winning lots of trophies," he said.

"I've had a great career but I want to play my last year for Hajduk. It's the very least I owe the supporters.

"Nothing beats playing in front of your own fans from your hometown club. I just want one more season of that so I can relive all the great memories I had there."

However, Boro fans worried by talk of Boksic's eventual departure from Teesside can console themselves in the knowledge that, for the time being, the Croat is happy at the Riverside - and money has nothing to do with it.

"I couldn't be happier than I am at Boro and it's nothing to do with the money," Boksic told Four-Four-Two magazine.

"I was being paid a lot in Serie A too but I wasn't enjoying it. At first I loved it in Italy, it was a great challenge and I would recommend everyone to play there if they get the chance.

"But after a while it becomes impossible to live with the pressure. In Italy your every move is scrutinised by the media and fans and after a while you can't function properly because you're so paranoid about making an error or messing up.

"Since I've been at Boro I've rediscovered my inner peace. I'm playing for a club where everybody believes in me and I no longer have any stresses or strains in my life.

"There's a great atmosphere at the club now with Steve McClaren," he added. "We're not struggling like we were last season and everyone is enjoying their football, myself included. Middlesbrough is perfect for me."